Groovin the Moo 2024 has been unexpectedly cancelled, just weeks after this year’s packed lineup was revealed.
Organisers of one of Australia’s biggest festivals confirmed today that the 2024 edition is no more in a press statement:
“We are extremely disappointed to announce that the Groovin the Moo 2024 tour has been forced to cancel. Ticket sales have not been sufficient to deliver a regional festival of this kind.”
The statement added that “all tickets will be refunded automatically,” and that organisers hope “to be able to bring Groovin the Moo back to regional communities in the future.”
The beloved travelling festival was due to head to Wayville, Canberra, Bendigo, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast, and Bunbury throughout April and May.
The lineup, announced last month, featured something to suit every music taste.
From abroad, indie icons The Kooks, US rapper Armani White, and rising US singer-songwriter Stephen Sanchez were set to perform at Groovin the Moo. Wu-Tang Clan legend GZA was also booked to make the journey to Australia alongside The Phunky Nomads.
Love Live Music?
Get the latest Live Music news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
The Grogans, The Jungle Giants, Jet, San Cisco, The Rions, DMA’S, and Mallrat all represented Australia on the bill, while Carla From Bankstown and Mowgli May were booked for hosting duties.
Groovin the Moo is just the latest Aussie festival to be cancelled in recent months: Adelaide Hill’s Vintage Vibes cancelled its weekend event just weeks before it was due to take place, while NSW’s ValleyWays was also cancelled a few weeks before its planned date.
Moffat shared the news in a social media post made: “As you may have noticed, over the past few years I’ve been really enjoying teaching and working a bit closer with people (rather than the endless emails and calls of most of my working life!),” his message read.
Music, Moffat added, “will always be my number one passion in life,” but it “feels time to make some space for others to take charge as curators of future events.”
Moffat learned the ropes booking a string of venues including The Punters Club (1992-1998), Evelyn Hotel (1990-1992), Northcote Social Club (2004-2014) and Corner Hotel from 1995, a role he fulfilled for almost two decades.
Through the years, Moffat enjoyed stints as festival programmer for Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Groovin the Moo and Queenscliff Music Festival, and, from 2021, programming coordinator for MAINfm.
